CookieBear
by Seynee
Summary: In which Tenten is forced to do embarrassing, humiliating things in front of her Bus Hottie. Here's hoping he's still interested. — Neji, Tenten. AU.


**notes: **I'm in love with AU High School fanfiction, as it seems. Hence, this baby.

* * *

**cookiebear  
**_I remember what you wore on the first day._

.

Oh, of all the crappiest days she had been through, this has got to be _the_ crappiest day of all.

She had waken up late for school today, leaving her only with literally three minutes to get ready if she didn't want to be late. _Three _minutes. She usually took around five times longer than that. She wasn't so much of a girly girl and could go on days without make-up, but she hadn't been sleeping much this week, averaging only about three hours every night, and eyebags were starting to form under her eyes.

Normally she wouldn't care, but it just happened to be Photo Day for the seniors, and she _really_ didn't want to be remembered as 'Zombie' for the rest of her life, so she ended up fixing what could be fixed and arriving at school fifteen minutes late. Under normal circumstances, she would have been off the hook, since Kakashi-sensei was usually twenty minutes late to class. However, as fate would have it, on the _one_ day she _was_ late, he happened _not_ to be, and detention she did get. And because she was in such a hurry to get to school, she had forgotten her assignments in her room and _still_ got minus point for all seven of them.

And now, glancing at her iPhone screen, she couldn't help but wonder if Lady Luck really, _really_ hated her or something.

**Sender:** Sakura  
**Sent: **Thursday, February 25, 2010 — 8.17 PM  
**Received:** Thursday, February 25, 2010 — 8.19 PM  
**Subject**: (no subject)

Tenten! We got the perfect dare already. :):)  
Remember that hottie you often meet at the bus stop? We want you to pretend to mistake him for a celebrity, ask for his autograph, and take a picture with him! Doesn't sound too hard to do, right?  
Don't forget that we love you, sweetie!

PS: Will wait patiently for the report of your adventurous day.

Of _course_ her dare had to come now, on the worst day of her life. She had been playing Dare or Dare for weeks now with Sakura and Ino, in which every one of them was gonna have to do one dare every week, in turns. Her dares were usually the worst ones—Sakura and Ino combined would make even The Joker whimper pitifully.

Sighing heavily, Tenten closed her eyes and massaged her throbbing temples.

Yes, she _did_ remember the Bus Hottie, as they often called him. He was, well, _handsome_, hence the name. He had luxurious long brown hair, icy white eyes, and lips that seemed to be forever frowning. It wasn't as if she was attracted to him; she just saw him almost daily and like any other _ordinary_ girl, she was getting just a teeny wee curious about him. Why was he always annoyed? What did he listen to, every day, on their bus journey, without fail? Why did he always—

Oh, okay. So she might have a _teeny _bit of crush on him. Nothing serious. Everything was still under control.

Looking around for the Bus Hottie, she immediately spotted him and her cheeks flamed.

Yep. Definitely under control.

Clutching her iPhone in a tight grasp, she shoved her pack of gummy bears—her one and only comfort food—into her bag and made her way down to him.

"H-hi," she croaked.

Bus Hottie raised one of his eyebrows and stared her down, his unspoken question lingering heavily in the air around them. _Who the hell are you?_

"My name's Tenten," she said hurriedly, "I was just… I saw you from there," she gestured behind her wildly, "and decided to come and say hi. So, hi!"

He raised his eyebrows. "Hi."

"Hi!" Tenten repeated again, giving a shaky giggle, and then berated herself for sounding so girly. Clearing her throat, she introduced herself yet again, "I'm Tenten."

There was a faint trace of amusement in his eyes. "Yes. You said that already."

Girly wasn't her thing. Giggling wasn't her thing. However, both were necessary to make sure she achieved her goals. She took a deep breath and then pasted a fake smile on her lips, her arms flailing wildly, "I'm a fan of yours!"

"What?" Bus Hottie stared at her blankly.

"I'm a fan of yours!" she continued, fanning herself to give an impression that she was about to faint, "You were really good in your latest movie!"

"My latest movie?" he was frowning now.

"Yes, your latest movie!" she paused, quickly thinking, "Uh, _I'll Love You Forever and Ever_?"

He kept staring blankly at her.

Yes, blank was right, Tenten thought, but instead giggled like a giddy, inexperienced schoolgirl in love. Not giving him a chance to refuse, she whipped out her agenda and pen and quickly thrusted them in front of him.

"Can you _please_ sign here for me?" she asked, all high-pitched and squeaky. When he frowned at her, she quickly added, making her voice sickeningly sweet, "Pretty please with _cherry on top_?"

"I—" he continued frowning, "You must be mistaking me for someone else."

"Please?" Tenten repeated, her voice suddenly losing all of its giddiness, and instead turned desperate. In her head she was listing down all the kinds of torture and humiliation Sakura and Ino would put her under if she failed.

He grabbed the pen she was offering and signed her agenda. She glanced at it, noticing that he just scribbled randomly on it, and smiled, "Can you _please_ do me another favor?"

"What?"

Shoving her agenda and pen into her bag, she produced her iPhone, posed, and quickly zapped a picture of them side by side. She didn't even bother to smile, and it would have taken a little bit longer since sometimes she got a panic attack when a camera was pointed her direction. Pushing her phone into her jeans' pocket, Tenten dared herself to look at him.

If Bus Hottie was annoyed, he was very good at hiding it. His face was stoic and his eyes betrayed nothing but the calm, reserved composure that seemed to hung in the air around him. He hitched his backpack higher on his shoulder and proceeded to stare out into the rain.

"Um…"

He glanced at her, unfazed by her rather erratic acts.

Her face burning out of embarrassment, she fumbled over her next words. "I, um, thank you!"

The boy gave her another calculating look again, seemingly surprised by her sudden display of gratitude, before a tiny, amused smile found its way to his lips, replacing the frown that she thought was a permanent feature of his face.

Tenten lit up like a string of fairy lights, heat rising to her cheeks more quickly than the speed of light. She watched him as he went into the bus, not looking back even once, felt her throat go dry, her eyes following as the bus head away.

It was twenty two seconds later she realized that she was supposed to go on that bus, too—not to mention that it was the last bus of the day.

"Crap," she muttered under her breath, closing her eyes.

It was official: today was The Crappiest Day of her life.

* * *

"I don't know how I can thank you enough."

"For ditching all of my other activities and bothering to take you home?" Shikamaru smiled wryly at her, scratching the back of his head as he stirred into her apartment's parking lot, "Well, you can't."

"Oh screw you, Shikamaru," Tenten chuckled, "It's not like you have that many activities. What were you doing anyway? Sleeping?"

"I just saved your sorry ass from getting grounded, and this is how you thank me?" he raised his eyebrows, sarcasm seeping into his voice, "Girls are so troublesome."

She laughed, "Well, I promise I'll make it up to you somehow. Thank you, Shikamaru."

"How could you have missed the bus, anyway?" he asked, suddenly a little curious, "It wasn't as if you were late, right?"

"Uh, no, of course not!" she could feel the blush threatening to spill on her cheeks once more as the events flashed in her head, "I was just… careless."

"Careless," he repeated wryly. "Really?"

Why did he have to be so clever? "If you must know, I was simply running an errand for Sakura and Ino."

"An errand," Shikamaru quirked his eyebrows and sighed, "A dare, you mean."

"You _know_ about the dare?"

"Of course I do," he smiled wryly. "Also why I would say girls are so troublesome."

Tenten's eyes twinkled as she teased, "Except for Ino."

The lazy genius sighed heavily. "_Especially_ Ino."

Ino's relationship with Shikamaru was always an interesting one, though neither failed to understand that they liked each other, despite the constant threats Ino imposed over Shikamaru's head and how he always said she was the most troublesome girl he had ever met. Heck, if Tenten was to be honest. Ino and Shikamaru were only one step away from actually, officially getting together. One _gigantic_ step which Shikamaru was too lazy to take and Ino had yet to realize.

They arrived at the front steps of her apartment, and she opened the door, grinning at him, "Much thanks, genius. How can I ever repay you?"

"I'll think of something later," he told her, shaking his head. "Goodnight, Tenten."

"Goodnight, Shika."

After Shikamaru was out of sight, Tenten headed into her apartment, ready for a lecture from her parents for being five minutes late. They were always so keen on punctuality, but at least she was only _five_ minutes late. Any later than that and she would have been grounded for a week, at most. When it was over, she entered her bedroom and checked her phone.

**Sender:** Ino  
**Sent: **Thursday, February 25, 2010 — 9.02 PM  
**Received:** Thursday, February 25, 2010 — 9.03 PM  
**Subject**: (no subject)

Babe! How did it go?  
Skype in FIVE MINUTES. I don't care. FIVE MINUTES.

Suddenly giddy, Tenten happily turned on her laptop.

* * *

"So you take this bus, too."

Tenten jolted in surprise as she heard the familiar voice behind her, her head snapping up. "Bus Hottie!" she exclaimed, unable to stop herself, and then blushed when she realized she had just announced his nickname straight to his face, "Oh my god."

"What?" he asked.

"Nothing!" she shook her head fervently, "I was just, uh, singing to myself."

"I see." There was a moment of silence before he gestured to the seat next to her. "Do you mind?"

She shook her head once more, mentally going over the events that happened yesterday. How could she be so stupid? Of course they would meet again! They took the same _bus_, for heaven's sake. It wasn't as if he would stop taking this bus just because of what happened yesterday, and for her part, she had been stupid enough to forget.

Still. This was an opportunity to fix her reputation, and she would do just that.

"WhatIdidyesterdaywas—" she stopped herself, realizing she was fumbling over words _again_, and then cleared her throat, repeating herself more slowly, "What I did yesterday was a dare."

"I'm sorry?"

"It was a dare," she blushed hotly under his gaze. "My friends dared me to… uh, well, do what I did to you yesterday." When she saw his blank face, she groaned inwardly but elaborated anyway, "I asked for your autograph and took your picture without permission, remember?"

He pressed his lips into a thin line, as if holding back his laugh, and then nodded. "I remember."

"Then why do you ask?" Tenten frowned.

He shrugged. "You make funny expressions."

"And of _course_ it's entertaining to you to see me suffer."

"Not at all," he said mildly. "I was simply curious. So you don't usually do things like that?"

"No! And for the record, I don't usually talk like yesterday, too."

"I see." Amusement danced in white eyes. "So I suppose you don't call everyone by the name Bus Hottie?"

"No!" Tenten exclaimed for the second time, "That was just—"

"That was just what?"

"That was nothing," she replied, trying to keep a straight face. _Just a nickname made by my friends because I told them how attractive you were_. Honestly, she would laugh so hard at the coincidence of the whole situation if she wasn't so embarrassed. Or humiliated. Or _red_ _as a freaking tomato. _Seriously, what the _hell_ was wrong with her?

She didn't hear it very clearly, but she could almost swear that he chuckled. "I would hope so."

"Right," she huffed, and then rummaged in her bag, retrieving a pack of gummy bears, "Want some?"

"No, thank you," his eyes were amused, "Do you always bring that around with you?"

"Yes, always!" Tenten laughed, relaxing at once, "It's like my comfort food." She paused suddenly and then looked at him in suspicion, "Wait… _always_? How did you know that I always bring a pack of gummi bears with me?"

He stiffened slightly, although his face was still as calm and composed as usual, and chose to shrug easily in response. "Just a guess."

She looked at him suspiciously but opted not to dig in any further. They just knew each other, it was a little bit daring of her to ask him too many questions. So when she noticed his iPod, she settled for, "What are you listening to?" There, one of the questions she _had_ wanted to ask him, out on the table.

Before he could reply, however, the bus stopped and he stood up, looking slightly apologetic. "This is my stop."

"Oh," Tenten replied, suddenly a little ashamed of herself. Honestly, what was she expecting? That he would actually make conversation with her?

"Tenten."

She looked up abruptly, surprised at the sound of her name off his lips, and her eyes widened when he gave her his iPod.

"Enjoy," he said, giving a tiny smile.

His word flashed through Tenten's head and reverberated in her ears before she grabbed his bag, effectively stopping him. "Wait!"

"Your name," she said breathlessly, "What's your name?"

He broke into another smile that sent the alarms in her head ringing and screaming emergency, but she didn't let go.

"Hyuuga Neji," he replied, his baritone voice husky and low, "I'll see you tomorrow."

* * *

**Ten10Ten**: oh my GOD just KILL me now.  
_11 minutes ago via TwitBird iPhone_

**hsakura**: _Ten10Ten_ Tenten! What's wrong?  
_11 minutes ago via web in reply to Ten10Ten_

**Ten10Ten**: _hsakura_ I think I have Bus Hottie's iPod with me. I THINK.  
_10 minutes ago via TwitBird iPhone in reply to hsakura_

**lovefabulously**:what's this I'm hearing? RT Ten10Ten: _hsakura_ I think I have Bus Hottie's iPod with me. I THINK.  
_10 minutes ago via UberTwitter_

**Ten10Ten**: _hsakura lovefabulously_ do you think I should TOUCH it?  
_10 minutes ago via TwitBird iPhone in reply to hsakura_

**hsakura:** _Ten10Ten_ YES.  
_9 minutes ago via web in reply to Ten10Ten_

**lovefabulously**: _Ten10Ten_ YES!  
_9 minutes ago via UberTwitter_

**Ten10Ten**: oh my god. oh my god.  
_9 minutes ago via TwitBird iPhone_

**lovefabulously**: _Ten10Ten_ WHATTT?  
_8 minutes ago via UberTwitter in reply to Ten10Ten_

**Ten10Ten**: _lovefabulously_ there's a playlist. with my name on it.  
_8 minutes ago via TwitBird iPhone in reply to lovefabulously_

**lovefabulously**: _Ten10Ten_ OH MY GOD. what songs are in there?  
_6 minutes ago via UberTwitter in reply to Ten10Ten_

**hsakura**: _Ten10Ten_ The suspense is killing me. PLEASE BE QUICK.  
_6 minutes ago via web in reply to Ten10Ten_

**Ten10Ten:** _lovefabulously_ oh my god. OH MY GOD.  
_5 minutes ago via TwitBird iPhone in reply to lovefabulously_

**lovefabulously**: _Ten10Ten hsakura _what the HELL is going on? can someone PLEASE TELL ME?  
_5 minutes ago via UberTwitter in reply to Ten10Ten_

**Ten10Ten**: _lovefabulously hsakura_ I got a text message from him. be right back. :)  
_5 minutes ago via TwitBird iPhone in reply to lovefabulously_

**hsakura**: _Ten10Ten_ I don't know what the hell is going on, but you GET HIM GIRL!  
_4 minutes ago via web in reply to Ten10Ten_

**lovefabulously**: if _Ten10Ten_ comes back with a boyfriend, i'm going to kill myself. no more dares :((  
_4 minutes ago via UberTwitter_

**hsakura**: _lovefabulously_ Be nice, Ino.  
_4 minutes ago via web in reply to lovefabulously_

**lovefabulously**: _hsakura_ but i AM being nice.  
_4 minutes ago via UberTwitter in reply to hsakura_

**lovefabulously**: waiting for _Ten10Ten_ to come back.  
_4 minutes ago via UberTwitter_

**lovefabulously**: oh the suspense is killing me. quite literally. _Ten10Ten_ please come back quickly :((  
_3 minutes ago via UberTwitter_

**lovefabulously**: WHERE is my lovely _Ten10Ten_?  
_2 minutes ago via UberTwitter_

**hsakura**: _lovefabulously_ Ino. Calm down.  
_2 minutes ago via UberTwitter_

**Ten10Ten**: I'm back :) :) :) :) :)  
_2 minutes ago via TwitBird iPhone_

**Ten10Ten**: _lovefabulously hsakura_ forwarded you guys a text message.  
_less than 1 minute ago via TwitBird iPhone in reply to lovefabulously_

**Ten10Ten**: grinning so wide I can't keep a straight face. :) :)  
_less than 1 minute ago via TwitBird iPhone_

**lovefabulously**: if we're on facebook i'll LIKE _Ten10Ten_'s latest tweet a thousand times over. aww, love is in the air!  
_less than 1minute ago via UberTwitter_

**hsakura**: RT lovefabulously: if we're on facebook i'll LIKE _Ten10Ten_'s latest tweet a thousand times over. aww, love is in the air!  
_less than 1minute ago via web_

**lovefabulously**: _Ten10Ten_ i'll never stop giving you dares. call him COOKIEBEAR.  
_less than 20 seconds ago via UberTwitter in reply to Ten10Ten_

**hsakura**: RT lovefabulously: _Ten10Ten_ i'll never stop giving you dares. call him COOKIEBEAR.  
_less than 20 seconds ago via web_

* * *

**Sender: **Hyuuga Neji  
**Sent: **Friday, February 26, 2010 — 9.19 PM  
**Received:** Friday, February 26, 2010 — 9.20 PM  
**Subject:** let's meet up.

What the subject says.  
Dinner. 6 PM tomorrow. Just the two of us.  
I'll buy you packs of gummi bears until you agree.

I won't take a no as an answer.

xx

**Sender: **Tenten  
**Sent:** Friday, February 26, 2010 — 9.25 PM  
**Received:** Friday, February 26, 2010 — 9.26 PM  
**Subject:** RE: let's meet up.

Sure :)  
But only if you let me call you CookieBear.

(Don't ask why.)

xx

**Sender: **Hyuuga Neji  
**Sent:** Friday, February 26, 2010 - 9.28 PM  
**Received:** Friday, February 26, 2010 — 9.30 PM  
**Subject:** RE: RE: let's meet up.

Fine.  
But I'll pick you up.

xx

**Sender: **Tenten**  
Sent: **Friday, February 26, 2010 — 9.32 PM**  
Received: **Friday, February 26, 2010 — 9.35 PM**  
Subject: **okay, cookiebear!

:)

.

**end.**

* * *

**notes: **Some people get confused when the Twitter part comes! I'm really sorry. Just to confirm, Ten10Ten is Tenten, lovefabulously is Ino, and hsakura is Sakura. "RT" stands for "retweet", a feature where you repost what a previous person has already posted. You can basically read it like a chat. I hope that clears up a lot of stuff!


End file.
